Chapter 21

Lexoc pushed, trying to struggle free but it was no use. They had her. How could Jesbra have abandoned her when she needed it?

Lexoc had almost had that snake when Jesbra had come down the corridor with a stunner, knocked off the crowd that had gathered to watch Lexoc battle the snake, then shot a bolt into the snake and took off down the corridor. The snake had given chase and Lexoc had started off after them. She had come around the corner to find Jesbra shooting upward in a lift tube, leaving Lexoc alone to fight the snake and his helpers.

Single-handed.

Even for a Jedi, it just couldn't be done without help.

She had fought greatly, taking out at least thirty or forty Mettranaloovye, all while battling with the snake. But then he had gotten the slip on her, kicking her lightsaber from her hand, scratching her hands with his claws while doing so, and sending in five or six guards to hold her back. She had managed to sear the scales on one of his hands, singe his tunic and make a small cut in his arm.

Then Lexoc had pushed free of the six guards, gotten a hold of the snake's neck with one hand and snatched his lightsaber from his belt with the other. She had come seriously close to ridding the galaxy of one more evil maniac, when the guards had pounced on her. She had sliced a couple through with the saber, then the snake had clawed at her throat with those giant claws. Lexoc had jumped up and surveyed her neck for damage. He had succeeded in little more than running a couple of surface scratches on her neck, but the guards were pouncing again.

She sliced two more through but one got hold of her legs, toppling her to the floor. The snake had then sunk his claws into Lexoc's boot tearing it open and cutting the flesh inside. Lexoc had let go of the lightsaber in pain and surprise and the snake had grabbed it quicker than Lexoc could blink.

At least ten guards had grabbed hold of her and dragged her to her feet.

Now the snake stood in front of her, rasping for breath and Lexoc could see red circles wrapping themselves around his green scaled neck. "Youss havesss foughtsss wellsss, Jediss," he hissed with obvious disapproval. His hissing was five times worse with his loss of breath. "Butsss nowsss itssss oversss, nowsss becausssse of yoursss sssstrugling, Isss thinkss Isss wantsss revengesss onss allsss of yoursss friendssss."

"I wasn't and I'm still not going out without a fight," Lexoc warned. "Bring it on, snake. I welcome your fight."

"Yourss rightss, butsss Iss won't besss fightingss." He looked over his shoulder, and out of the shadows appeared a dark cloaked figure.

Just the dark cloak and the way he carried himself betrayed his identity to Lexoc.

And she wasn't happy about it.

"Llanef," she snarled.

He stepped into the light and threw back the hood of his cloak, revealing a dark skinned face that was marked with small scars but one large crescent moon shaped scar interrupted his dark skin with a white spot on his right cheek and black eyes with white slit pupils. That skin and those dark eyes, that struck fear into other species, belonged to the males of Pirapoi's first tribe of people, the Ice People. Pirapoian men looked like average dark-skinned humans except for those eyes and that they had an extra thumb that lay hidden in their palm. Llanef's hair reached halfway down his back in a tail, darker than a moonless night.

"I couldn't let you and your friends ruin my reputation," Llanef said in a deep voice that was marked with hardships. "So now because you pursued and found me, you are sentenced to die at my hand. As are your friends."

"You're wrong. Give me your best shot. You won't make it, not against a Jedi. If only one of us gets out of this joint alive rest assured it'll be me."
"Not a chance, Jedi." A large blaster rifle appeared in his hand, aimed for Lexoc's heart. "I'd say I'm the one coming out alive."

"Then say again."

Lexoc dove back as he fired and blasted all of the guards out of her way. She jumped to her feet from where the rifle had dropped her to the ground in its giant blast. She started to run, but decided to surprise Llanef by reversing on him.

Lexoc took a sharp one-hundred-eighty degree turn and dove at his feet. She grabbed Llanef's ankles just as he fired another red-orange blast from the rifle that hit the durasteel floor behind her. The force of the bolt drove her forward harder into his legs, toppling him. He dropped the rifle and it slid down the corridor. She stood over him arms raised for combat.

"Now who's making it out alive?" she asked.

He slid from under her and hopped to his feet a couple of meters away. "It's not over yet."

Lexoc let him leap first. He pounced aiming a punch for her head and she ducked. She swung her leg to tangle his and drop him but him jumped. She came up to punch again and he blocked, like she planned. Lexoc pushed against his arms occupying him with her hands as she brought her foot up. Her boot connected with his jaw with a crunch, causing him to bring his hands up to feel the damage.

She pushed him to the ground with the Force as three familiar presences crept into her feelings.

Oliso, Keldu, Nerca …

Where was Jesbra?

Later, Nerca's voice said. Meet us top ground.

Lexoc turned from Llanef and ran to find a turbo-lift. She had to hurry to her friends before the snake found them.